The Dioceses of Leicester and Peterborough have united to share a retreat house, Launde Abbey, and to promote its use.

Their bishops signed a covenant this week (on Tuesday 24th July) at a special ceremony at Launde - an Elizabethan manor house surrounded by gardens, parkland and woodland, where groups of people meet for religious, cultural and educational purposes, and individuals go for rest, refreshment and retreat.

Referring to the fact that Leicester Diocese was carved out of Peterborough Diocese over 80 years ago, the Bishop of Peterborough, Rt Rev’d Ian Cundy, said: “One of the joys of parenthood is when your child invites you into partnership!”

He added that the two dioceses had already worked in harmony for many years.

Welcoming the partnership, the Bishop of Leicester, Rt Rev’d Tim Stevens, spoke of the growing need for space in people’s hectic lives: “As our lives get more demanding, more regulated, more busy, the silence of this place becomes essential if the wellsprings of spiritual life are to be kept fresh.”

Launde Abbey, he said, had already become “a gift of God to the people of the two dioceses, across the country and beyond, to deepen their journey of faith, and to those searching to see if there is any such journey to be made.”

Launde Abbey was gifted to the Diocese of Leicester over 50 years ago, and on the night of the covenant signing welcomed its 4,000th overnight visitor of the year, passing the total number of bed-nights for 2006.

It is currently in profit, and is in the process of undergoing a major programme of refurbishment.

Peterborough Diocese has been without a retreat house since the sale of Ecton House, near Northampton, some years ago, when the building became unviable and was falling below current legislative requirements.

Launde is only a short distance across the diocesan border and easily accessible from much of Peterborough Diocese - which covers Rutland and Northants.

The covenant commits both dioceses to actively promote the use of Launde by parishes and other groups for residential or day events.

Peterborough now has two representatives on the management committee.

For more information on Launde Abbey, visit www.launde.org.uk.